Python Program to Find Median

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 50 views

Introduction

In this article, we will learn how to write a Python program to read numbers and find their median. The median is the middle value in a list of numbers when the numbers are arranged in ascending order. If the list has an odd number of elements, the median is the middle value. If the list has an even number of elements, the median is the average of the two middle values.

What is Median?

The median is a measure of central tendency in statistics. It is the middle value in a list of numbers when the numbers are arranged in ascending order. The median is used to describe the central tendency of a dataset, which is the value that best represents the data.

Why is Median Important?

The median is an important concept in statistics because it helps to understand the central tendency of a dataset. It is used in various fields such as economics, finance, and social sciences to analyze data and make informed decisions.

Python Program to Find Median

Here is a Python program that reads numbers and finds their median:

# Initialize an empty list
l = []
for i in range(5):
n = int(input("Enter a number: "))
l.append(n)
print("Created list:", l)
l.sort()
print("Ordered list:", l)
if len(l) % 2 == 0:
# If the list has an even number of elements, find the average of the two middle values
median = (l[len(l) // 2 - 1] + l[len(l) // 2]) / 2
else:
# If the list has an odd number of elements, find the middle value
median = l[len(l) // 2]
print("Median:", median)

How the Program Works

Here's a step-by-step explanation of how the program works:

The program starts by initializing an empty list l.
The program then reads 5 numbers from the user using a for loop.
The program appends each number to the list l.
The program prints the created list l.
The program sorts the list l in ascending order using the sort() method.
The program prints the ordered list l.
The program finds the median by checking if the list has an even or odd number of elements.
If the list has an even number of elements, the program finds the average of the two middle values.
If the list has an odd number of elements, the program finds the middle value.
The program prints the median.

Example Use Case

Here's an example use case of the program:

Enter a number: 10
Enter a number: 20
Enter a number: 30
Enter a number: 40
Enter a number: 50
Created list: [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
Ordered list: [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
Median: 30.0

Conclusion

In this article, we learned how to write a Python program to read numbers and find their median. The program uses a for loop to read numbers from the user, appends each number to a list, sorts the list in ascending order, and finds the median. The program is easy to understand and can be used to find the median of a list of numbers in Python.

Discussion

What is the difference between mean and median?

The mean and median are both measures of central tendency, but they are calculated differently. The mean is the average of all the numbers in a dataset, while the median is the middle value in a list of numbers when the numbers are arranged in ascending order.
When is the median used in real-life scenarios?

The median is used in various fields such as economics, finance, and social sciences to analyze data and make informed decisions. For example, the median income of a country can be used to understand the economic status of its citizens.
How can the program be modified to find the median of a list of floating-point numbers?

The program can be modified to find the median of a list of floating-point numbers by changing the data type of the list elements from int to float. The program will still work as expected, but it will be able to handle floating-point numbers.

Practice Questions

Write a Python program to read numbers and find their mean.
Write a Python program to read numbers and find their mode.
Write a Python program to read numbers and find their range.

Answer Key

The program can be written using the following code:

l = []

for i in range(5): n = int(input("Enter a number: ")) l.append(n)

print("Created list:", l)

mean = sum(l) / len(l)

print("Mean:", mean)


2.  The program can be written using the following code:
```python

l = []
for i in range(5):
n = int(input("Enter a number: "))
l.append(n)
print("Created list:", l)
mode = max(set(l), key=l.count)
print("Mode:", mode)

The program can be written using the following code:

l = []

for i in range(5): n = int(input("Enter a number: ")) l.append(n)

print("Created list:", l)

range = max(l) - min(l)

print("Range:", range)